Crews continue to tackle 14 wildfires in south Wales

Crews are continuing to fight 14 wildfires in South Wales as emergency services warn that risk remains high for next week.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWFRS) said on Sunday it was responding to “significant wildfire activity” with the support of other services from across the UK and military personnel.

On Saturday evening, the service warned that, while temperatures may ease in the coming days, a continued lack of rain means the wildfire risk remains high.

Deputy chief fire officer Adam Openshaw said: “The combined efforts of everyone involved in this major incident continue to play a vital role in keeping people safe during these exceptional circumstances.

“We know this is a challenging and worrying time for many people.

“Please be assured that we remain committed to protecting our communities and keeping the people of South Wales safe.”

On Friday evening, millions of people in England and Wales received an alert on their mobile devices warning them of a “very high risk of wildfires nationally”.

It came after Prime Minister Andy Burnham described Britain as a “tinderbox” and a temporary ban on disposable barbecues was put in place.

The transmission of the message first in Welsh, then English, sparked criticism from some politicians, with Reform Wales describing it as “dangerous”.

A party spokesman said in a post on Facebook: “The overwhelming majority of Wales speaks English.

“Emergency announcements should be bilingual, but English should come first to avoid any panic or confusion.”

The Welsh Conservatives also said any future emergency alerts must be sent simultaneously in English and Welsh.

SWFRS said on Saturday evening that it had already received 736 calls, compared with an average of about 300, and urged people only to call 999 if there was a new emergency to report.

The wildfires have led to the deployment of about 200 personnel from the Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment, supported by the 22 Engineer Regiment.

According to the Ministry of Defence, their main task is to provide logistical support, such as water distribution, and to help free firefighters and specialist responders to focus on frontline firefighting.

SWFRS has said it believes some of the wildfires in the region have been started deliberately.

On Friday, South Wales Police said four 14-year-old boys had been arrested on suspicion of arson after a fire was allegedly set on the mountain near Pleasant Heights in Porth.

South Wales chief fire officer Fin Monahan told BBC Radio 4’s Broadcasting House programme on Sunday: “There is a real arson problem here.

“It’s staggering that in our society there are people who are prepared to go out and not just light a fire, but actually put people’s lives in danger.

“This is really, really irresponsible behaviour. If there’s anybody out there who knows of an arsonist, do please report them to the police because this needs to be taken very seriously.”

Mr Monahan revealed that, while driving away from a wildfire on Saturday, he found tyres set alight underneath a tree, requiring a fire engine to be diverted.

Gareth Tovey, Fire Brigades Union executive council member for Wales, told the Press Association earlier this week that members were reporting “carnage” as they battled multiple incidents after weeks of wildfires across the country.

He said: “What our members out there, firefighters on the ground, are saying, is that the conditions in which they’re fighting these fires are materially different from what we’ve experienced before – it’s so much drier.

“We’re seeing fires progress into areas and expand in ways that we haven’t necessarily seen before.”

He said firefighters were working 10 or 11-hour shifts on mountainsides without breaks or access to toilets, eating meals “covered in soot”.